SUMMER STAKES | PURSE: $200,000 | 2-YEAR-OLDS | GRADE 2 | 1 MILE (TURF)
Conquest Typhoon capped a big day for Conquest Stables in a big way Sept. 13 at Woodbine, galloping clear in a dominant performance over seven other 2-year-olds in the $200,000 Summer Stakes while punching his ticket to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
Conquest Stables and trainer Mark Casse teamed up with jockey Patrick Husbands earlier on the card to take the Natalma Stakes with Conquest Harlanate, earning a berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Both races are part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" promotion for the World Championships slated to take place Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
The Summer was the first victory in three starts for Conquest Typhoon, a son of Stormy Atlantic who had two runner-up finishes earlier this season at Woodbine.
Although he broke outward slightly at the start, Conquest Typhoon recovered quickly and was angled out by Husbands to a fine position in the three path as Samuel Dechamplain set out for the early lead followed by Less Than Perfect.
The pacesetter clocked early fractions of :24.08 seconds for the quarter and :48.97 seconds for the half, then got three-quarters in 1:14.96 while looking to carry on into the stretch.
Conquest Typhoon, however, was poised to reel him in after improving from fourth and did so with powerful strides. The bay colt easily cleared the tiring frontrunner under a confident hand ride and sailed off to score by 4 ½ lengths. Final time was 1:41.10 on turf rated "good."
Conquest Typhoon paid $8.80, $5.30, and $3.90 while Samuel Dechamplain brought $7.70 and $5.80. U S Marshal was worth $7.60 while Less Than Perfect, Ethical Funds, Crown Prince, Imperial Dream, and 3-2 favorite Saratoga Dreamer completed the order of finish. Conquest Tsunami scratched.
All runners carried 122 pounds.
Bred in Ontario by Josham Farms Limited out of the Ascot Knight mare Swanky Bubbles, Conquest Typhoon was a $330,000 purchase from the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale when consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency. He improved his earnings to $170,054 in three starts.